


By the Stars Above and Earth Below

by strawberryshortblade



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28846707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberryshortblade/pseuds/strawberryshortblade
Summary: In the far off land of Novoselic, the Royal Astronomer and a disgraced Dwarven Champion find themselves bound together by the thread of fate. The question is...can they survive each other? Or is there something more to their bond?
Relationships: Hoshi Ryoma/Hoshi Ryoma's Girlfriend, Hoshi Ryoma/Momota Kaito, Shirogane Tsumugi/Yonaga Angie, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 23
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everybody! This is my first time writing a larger scale fantasy story outside of some D&D one shot plots, lol. Speaking of which, the spells and classes featured in this story are indeed influenced by their tabletop RPG counterparts, but it's not necessary to be knowledgeable about all the ins and outs about them to understand. Hope you enjoy!

Kaito Momota always hated being summoned to the royal court.

Despite his title being the Royal Astronomer of Novoselic, ever since the good King Christopher Nevermind passed away and his younger, far more ill-tempered brother Bogdan usurped the throne, Kaito went from respected astronomer to hackneyed astrologist.   
He a sneaking suspicion the new king was too dense to understand the difference.  
He was thankful, however, that King Bogdan had not caught on to the fact that each and every one of the vague, cryptic ‘predictions’ given to him came not from the stars and planets above...but Kaito’s own ass. Being a charismatic Sorcerer with the power to cast minor illusions on the fly and was often just enough to sell the act and not get carted away to the dungeons. Or worse. 

In his last will and testament, King Christopher had entrusted the throne to his one and only daughter, Sonia Nevermind. However, Sonia had never returned from her studies abroad, despite numerous messages asking for her to return home. Kaito was not alone in suspecting that those letters and couriers were not reaching their destination. All he could really do for now was hold onto hope of her return and continue the charade for as long as possible. 

_So long as he doesn’t need an ‘answer’ about military strategy, picking a bride, or executing someone, I should be good enough to hang in there until the end of spring…_

Kaito adjusted his stack of star charts, something he sadly used more as a prop for ‘predictions’ than actual study, and took his usual seat in the advisor’s chair. He frowned a bit as more and more people, mostly Bogdan’s own personal legion of guards and soldiers began to noisily filter in and fill up the viewing gallery. Normal royal court business was horribly boring, rarely warranting any kind of audience. But once Kaito saw the Royal Executioner enter the room with his broadaxe in hand, his chest tightened as he realized that this wasn’t going to be about raising taxes again or some tacky ball for the king’s bootlicking friends.   
This was a criminal hearing.

Kaito did his best to mask his growing anxiety as the king of Novoselic strode into the throne room and took his place with an almost mirthful smile. He then saw Kaito. The smile shifted into moderate annoyance, glowering at him.   
“Some rogue peasant attacked my men during their assigned mission at the border. This shall be my first sentencing as king. I must...humbly request that this message from the heavens be _clear_ and _concise_ this time, Momota. Or else...” Bogdan ran his thumb across his throat. “...I may need to ‘cut you loose’.”  
The Luminary of the Stars swallowed hard as the king snapped his fingers.   
“Bring him in.” 

With that, two sneering guards roughly yanked a young man into the throne room and shoved him onto his knees. The heavy chains that bound his wrist and ankles echoed as he hit the flagstones. He stayed there for a moment, keeping his head bowed, not uttering a single grunt of pain or protest at being tossed to the ground.   
“You may rise.”   
The prisoner raised his head as he slowly returned to his feet, finally giving Kaito a chance to get a good look at him. The first thing that struck him was his eyes. They were wide, world weary eyes with dark pupils that seemed heavy and exhausted. They met his own for a moment before returning back down towards his bound wrists. 

“A dwarf?” The king looked the young man up and down before letting out a snort. “State your name for the record.” He reclined a bit more in his seat. “And whatever clan and titles you tiny saltlickers still cling to.”   
“Ryoma.” The man replied with a rich, deep voice that took Kaito aback for a second. “Last living member of the Hoshi clan. Former Champion of the Dwarven Gladiatorial circuit.”  
_A dwarven warrior...he’s the real deal, then…_ Kaito smiled a bit in awe. The king, however, seemed far less impressed, letting out another amused snort.  
“You’re certainly a long way from the mountains, boy. If it weren’t for the muscled arms and deep voice, I would’ve mistaken you for a child. I thought dwarves had more facial hair.”   
Ryoma looked up from his chains with a glare of pure ice.  
“You sent your men to burn down a village of innocent farmers. If it weren’t for the bigotry and childish insults I still would’ve mistaken you for a pathetic tyrant. I thought humans had more brains.” 

Bogdan let out a snarl and snapped his fingers, signalling one of the guards to sharply kick Ryoma square in the gut. And again. The rest of the mercenaries roared with laughter and cheered from the gallery. Kaito winced, clenching his fists. How he would’ve done anything to step in and be the hero, just this once. Just a flick of his wrists would all it take. He could feel his muscles tense with magical energy to an almost painful degree, just waiting to be unleashed for the sake of justice.

...but he very reluctantly resisted. He was far too outnumbered and outmatched to be of any use. 

Once the guards had bruised Ryoma to his satisfaction, Bogan snapped his fingers for them to halt.  
“I’ve had enough of you, worthtless saltlicker. It’s about time you met your ultimate fate.” He spat, turning his head towards Kaito.   
“What do the stars say, Momota?” He barked.   
Kaito froze. He quickly looked over at Ryoma, still doubled over on the floor before fumbling with his stack of parchments and searching desperately through the map of that night’s sky.

 _Come on, give me something, anything, or this guy is gonna lose his head!_ His eyes stopped at the outline of the Leo constellation, gears turning in his head.   
_Lions. Lions are symbolic. And there’s just plenty of other stars around it...maybe I can…_

“They, uh...say that ‘the beast should be caged, not killed’...your highness.”  
Tangible silence fell over the room. As he looked up from his star chart, he could see the veins of Bogdan’s neck and forehead pulsing with seething rage. He swallowed his fear as best he could as he put up a cool and collected smile. 

“Here. Lemme show you.” He held the map out with one hand as he slipped the other behind his back, letting his fingers move freely and channel magic unseen. The outline of Leo appeared to lift itself off the parchment.  
“See? And these stars around him…when connected...” Lines of illusionary ink appeared, as if drawn by a ghostly hand. “...form a cage! See? Clear and concise message from the stars. Just like you asked for, your highness.”  
Kaito covertly glanced back over to Ryoma. The dwarven man met his eyes with a look of soft, but genuine confusion before closing his eyes and shaking his head. 

_He’s...not happy about being saved? I don’t get it, does he really want to be put to death?_

King Bogdan statched the star chart out of Kaito’s hand, nostrils flaring. He glared down at the ‘caged’ constellation before crumpling the parchment in his fist and whipping it at the foot of the throne.   
“See to it that the prisoner is sent to Fort Halberd. Since he is half a man, he shall be fed half rations and work in the brickyard and kilns from dawn to dusk for the rest of his days.” 

With another snap of his fingers, the guards yanked on Ryoma’s chains once again and began to lead him away. Kaito watched as he disappeared out the chamber doors, a burning sense of determination taking root in his chest. He looked over at the cruel King Bogdan who only gave Kaito a seething glare before dismissing him out of the room with a silent backhanded wave. 

_This isn’t over…_ Kaito carefully retrieved the crumpled star map from the floor before taking his leave from the throne room.   
_I won’t let it end like this. And that’s a promise._


	2. Chapter 2

Ryoma was no stranger to back breaking labor. Before he was mowing down undead hordes for sport in the Colosseum, members of the Hoshi clan were simple masons and blacksmiths. But, as per the King’s orders, Ryoma was forbidden from touching any of the metal tools used by the other prisoners. It seemed there was a misplaced fear that the moment he was given a hammer or pickaxe, some kind of hidden, unstoppable dwarven instinct would kick in and he’d be able to tunnel under the fort walls and escape in a matter of minutes. Instead, each day at dawn he was sent to work alone at the clay pits with little more than a wooden brick mold and his own bare hands. 

A little bit after dusk fell, he was finally given permission to stop work for the day. After cleaning himself off as best he could with frigid well water, he made the walk back to his cell to await his meager dinner. 

He wasn’t expecting the Royal Astronomer to be there waiting for him.

“Hey, there you are!” He beamed, hopping down from the top bunk. “Guess I’m lucky you didn’t have a cellmate already, otherwise I’d probably be stuck rooming with that massive marauder guy with the kraken tattoo and the glass eye. Ryoma Hoshi, right?” 

He nodded slowly, still needing a moment to process the general absurdity of all this. The purple haired young man, seeming to not take notice or care of Ryoma’s confusion, stuck out his hand.

“I’m Kaito Momota, Royal--wait, technically, former Royal Astronomer of Novoselic, but I’m still the full time Luminary of the Stars and master spell caster! Pretty cool, huh?” 

Ryoma declined the handshake, his attention more focused on the heavy metal bracelets clamped onto Kaito’s wrists.

“I would say you’re not much of a Sorcerer right now with those inhibitor braces they put on you.” The taller man frowned softly for the briefest of moments before bouncing back into a bright smile.

“Magic isn’t everything! I can still depend on my brains and athletic skills to get the job done. Being well rounded is important! You can’t always rely on one skill, especially as a hero!”

Ryoma couldn’t help but let a slightly rueful snort slip out as he sat down near the cell door, waiting for the nightly tray of food to be slid under the hatch.  
“And how exactly did a ‘hero’ like you get tossed in here, huh?”

Kaito plopped down on the floor next to him, crossing his legs.

“Oh, I got sent here on purpose. King Bogdan put out a bunch of new laws with automatic sentences, so all I had to do was track some mud from the garden onto the new rugs.”

“Why did you--”

Ryoma was interrupted by the metal hatch being opened from the outside and a tray of food grinding against the floor as it passed through. Ryoma instinctively took the smaller of the two bowls and began shoveling the contents into his mouth. Kaito looked at the larger bowl filled with rice and other bits and bobs before looking back up at Ryoma.

“...eating your side dish first? What is that, just plain lentils or something?”

“That bigger bowl is for _you_ . I’m only allowed to be served half as much as everyone else.”

Kaito winced a little as he remembered the exact wording of the prison sentence from that day.

“Well...there’s no rule against me sharing part of mine, is there? Here.” Kaito scooped out a healthy spoonful and held it out. Ryoma scooted further away from him.

“Don’t. You’re going to need all the food you can if you want to survive here. Keep that for yourself.”

Kaito leaned in with his outstretched arm, trying to bridge the gap.

“C’mon, you’ve been out there all day and I just got here! Besides, I was able to scarf down some stuff before they carted me away from the castle. Just take it, just this once.”

The tip of his spoon mushed against Ryoma’s cheek. 

“You’re not going to wise up and give up...are you?” He sighed, defeated.

“Nope!” Kaito grinned, turning over his spoon and plopping a generous portion of rice into Ryoma’s bowl. “If the cause is just, a true hero should never give up!”

The shorter man let out another small scoff before quietly returning to his bowl.

“Guess that disqualifies me as a ‘true hero’, then…” He muttered.

“What was that?”

“Just talking to myself. Don’t worry about it.” He placed his now empty bowl back down on the tray before crawling into his bed. “Thanks, by the way. You didn’t have to do that. Especially for someone you barely know.”

Kaito hopped back up to his feet before lifting himself onto the top bunk.

“No problem! It’s the least I could do, especially considering the circumstances.”

“Just don’t try too much of that generosity outside of this room. Guards might see it as a bribe. Other prisoners might suspect you’re trying to pull something underhanded. Got it?”

The bed frame creaked a little as Kaito readjusted himself.

“Huh? Oh, of course, you don’t have to tell me twice. This isn’t my first time being locked up, you know.”

Ryoma perked a brow. “What do you mean? You got sent to detention at some spell caster academy when you were a kid?”

“Nope! It was by pirates, actually!”

Ryoma let out another soft sigh, running his hands across his face.

_What the hell am I going to do with this guy…?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for claustrophobia in the opener.

There was nothing but smoke and silence left in the village. Ryoma sprinted through the smoldering fields and burned husks of homes, coughing as the ashes filled his lungs.

_Please...let her be safe._

As he finally reached the center of town, his heart stopped. The temple was meant to be a place of healing and comfort, where faithful and faithless were both welcomed with open arms.

Where _she_ had welcomed him with open arms.

Ryoma desperately began to claw as the smoldering rubble, crying out as the still glowing beams burned through the leather of his warhammer gloves. After what felt like hours of fruitless digging and crying out her name, he fell to his knees onto a mound of ash.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to give way into a crumbling sinkhole. Like the sand in the last few seconds of an hourglass, Ryoma found his whole body swept up inside a landslide of burning hot cinders, melted metal idols, and jagged shards of stained glass. Struggling to break himself free only buried him further, going from his waist to his neck in a matter of seconds. The earth swallowed him deeper into the depths, crushing any cry for help out of his lungs as the light from the sky vanished above his head.   
  
Ryoma’s eyes immediately snapped open, his heart hammering away in his ribcage to an almost painful degree. He attempted to calm himself, closing his eyes for a moment to try and absorb the silence of the room as he had done several times before in his time here. But the sound of gentle snoring above his head reminded him that he was no longer alone in here. 

He laid there for a moment, listening and breathing in time to Kaito’s steady inhale and exhale as he allowed his own heartbeat time to return to a normal tempo.

He then sat up and glanced around the room. There wasn’t much in the way of natural light in their cell, making it difficult to tell the current time. He slowly crawled out of his bunk and put an ear against the door. There was a muffled rumble of the guard’s voices and the screech of door hinges opening further up the hallway.

He turned his head towards Kaito, still sleeping soundly.

 _Better for him to wake up now than for the guards to do the same but ruder in about twenty seconds…_ _  
_

“Hey. Momota.”

The snoring continued.

“Come on.” He raised his volume a bit more. “The guards aren’t going to let you off easy on your first day.” 

Kaito rolled over, muttering something inaudible. Ryoma rolled his eyes a little.

With a small grunt of effort, he awkwardly clambered his way up to the top bunk. 

“Momota--” The moment Ryoma reached out and touched his shoulder, Kaito bolted upright with a yelp, opening his palms and summoning a sudden blast of air, sending him flying. 

“Ryoma? Shit--I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--” His inhibitor bracelets began to spark wildly, causing him to cry out and double over in agony.

The cell door swung open with a rusted screech as two guards, a man and woman, cast shadows with the rising sun behind them. The woman smirked, looking down at Ryoma on the floor before glancing at Kaito still curled up on himself, paralyzed in pain, the occasional spark still flying from his wrists.

“Got your first taste of what those bracelets can do, huh? Then I shouldn’t have to tell you not to try shit like that again. No matter the spell, it’ll lay your ass out for at least five solid minutes.”

The man next to her flipped through his stack of paper with administrative coldness.

“Hoshi, brickmaking duty. Momota, lumberyard.” 

Ryoma frowned, dusting himself off as he got back up on his feet.

“You honestly expect him to just get up and pick up an axe after getting a shock like that?”

“That is none of our concern. He chose to use magic, and faced the consequences. Unless he would like to face more punishment, he will report to his station on time. Good day.” He turned on his heel, ushering his partner back out into the hallway.

Ryoma muttered some Dwarvish equivalent of ‘don’t let the door hit you on the way out’ before turning his attention back to Kaito.

“S..sorry…that..could’ve gone a hell of a lot better..” He coughed, doing his best to put on his signature smile as Ryoma crawled back up to check him over.

“You don’t have to apologize. If I had magic, I’d probably do the same thing if someone snuck up on me like that. Can you move?”

“Sorta...feels like my arms are numb, fuzzy, and frozen up all at the same time. Kinda like when you hit your funny bone. I’ll be fine, though. This is nothing I can’t handle. Just...give me a minute to recharge.”

Ryoma frowned with growing concern.

“We don’t exactly have that kind of time. I’m going to see if I can help speed the healing process along...this might feel weird at first though, ok?” 

With Kaito’s nod of consent, he carefully placed his hands against one of his arms, softly rubbing his fingertips in small circles to help encourage more blood flow to the muscle. While he winced a bit at his initial touch, Kaito steadily began to regain feeling in his arms, letting out a small sigh of blissful relief.

“Better, huh?” Ryoma smiled a little, moving to massage his other arm. 

“Hell yeah…and thanks.” He hummed, grinning as he was finally able to straighten his posture again. “You sure those guys just forgot to put magic inhibitor bracelets on you, too? Those hands have gotta be harboring some kinda secret innate magic.”

“If that’s the case...then I guess I still have a ways to go before I can catch up to a trained Sorcerer like you.” Ryoma let out a small, but genuine chuckle. It was a sound that caused the smallest stirring in Kaito’s chest for some reason.

Once he was sure his cellmate's full range of motion had returned, Ryoma slipped back down to the ground, stretching.

“Come on...no use putting it off. It’s time for you to really see what it’s like in Fort Halberd.”


	4. Chapter 4

As the sun began to rise higher into the sky, Ryoma could feel the layer of clay covering his arms and bare feet begin to harden. He turned his wrists and ankles, causing it to crack and fall to the ground in jagged shards. As he wiped the sweat off his brow and picked up his wooden brick mold once more, his mind wandered to thoughts of Kaito. 

Before they parted ways for their separate assignments, he tried to impart as much advice and wisdom as he could. Don’t speak to the guards unless spoken to first, don’t talk about what you were charged with, and most important of all: don’t get into a situation where you’ll end up owing someone later. The kind of things he hoped would keep the self proclaimed Luminary of the Stars from getting clobbered to death. He wondered if the slight feeling in his chest right now was akin to an anxious guardian sending their child to their first day of school.    
He tried to return his thoughts to the task at hand, pressing another loaf of kneaded clay into the mold with his palms. 

_ It doesn’t matter much anyways. It’s not like me to care so much. Besides, I still have to get my own work done out here by myself… _

A boisterous voice called out from the other side of the clay pits, accompanied by the sound of jangling chains. _   
_ “Heeey there, partner!” 

_ Partner?  _ Ryoma blinked, turning his head.    


It was Kaito, smiling and waving at him despite his bound wrists. The guard escorting him over seemed especially drained as he approached, his eyes glazed over with exhaustion. 

“Congrats, saltlicker. He’s  _ your  _ problem now.” He quipped, unlocking Kaito's handcuffs before shuffling away, muttering to himself. Ryoma stared blankly at his cellmate for a moment.   


“...it’s not even noon, Momota. Why are you here?”   


Kaito pointed a thumb at the departing guardsman. “They said they didn’t need me on the lumber crew anymore. Said I wasn’t a ‘good fit’, which I think is some bullshit, they didn’t even give me a chance to really show them what I could do!”   


“They must have had some reason...whether it was a valid one or not is up to them. I’m a little surprised, though. You seem like you have the muscle to keep up and handle all the tools... ”   


“That’s what I’m saying!” He let out a small huff before his smile returned.  “But  hey, it's fine! Sometimes things don't work out, and you just have to go with the flow of what comes next. Being a team is more than just working on the same task together. You gotta find that right balance to really make an impact. Everyone has their own skills and talents, strengths and weaknesses. It's like I said before, as a hero, you can’t depend on just one skill, being well rounded is--”   


“I think I get part of the reason they let you go.”   


Kaito pouted a little before stepping foot into the trench of freshly dug clay, his eyes lighting up in an instant.    


“Aw man...that feels incredible! Especially on a hot day like this!” He swiveled his feet from side to side, steadily digging himself deeper and deeper into the soft, wet earth. He stopped as soon as it had risen up to his shins, wherein he attempted to lift his feet back up to the surface. The ground made a squishy, gurgling sound...but did not give way enough to free him. The dawning realization that he was now thoroughly stuck finally crossed his face. 

“Hey, uh...sidekick? A little help here?”   


“Sidekick?” He perked a brow.   


“Yeah, my sidekick! Every hero needs a partner by their side!”   


“I don’t remember signing up for that.”   


“But we’re way stronger together! I’m a master Sorcerer, you’re a legendary warrior! A literal Champion!”    


“Hold on...what does any of that have to do with me helping you dig you out of some mud?    


“It’s more than just that! Why do you think I got myself thrown in prison in the first place?”   


“I wouldn’t know. You never got the chance to tell me.”    


Kaito’s eyes flashed with determination. “To help bust you out!”    


Ryoma’s eyes widened, quickly glancing around to see if any guards were in earshot. A small sigh of relief passed his lips once he saw the lone guard assigned to watch the brickyard snored away at his post. He turned back to Kaito with a look laced with coldness.   


“You’re either completely reckless, or you’re more stupid than you let on. I’m not a decorated warrior anymore, I’m a shell of one.”   


“I’m not stupid!” He frowned. “And I did some research on you, ya know! You were the Champion of the Coliseum back home, undefeated for three solid years. People looked up to you because you fought to support your family, not for your own glory or greed!”    


Ryoma felt his chest tighten, breaking eye contact.  “...that was in the past.”   


Kaito offered up a supportive smile. “It doesn’t have to stay there. I need someone like you to help me track down Princess Sonia. That way King Bogdan and his bastard allies can never hurt anyone else ever again.” He offered out his hand. 

Ryoma looked at it with hesitation for a moment before looking up to meet his eyes.    


“...alright. I guess I can muster up the energy for one last fight.” He placed his rugged hand in Kaito’s, who gave him a firm squeeze in return and one of the brightest smiles Ryoma had ever seen.   


“Hell yeah! I have a plan, but I’m going to need some time to get a feel for the guard’s patrol patterns. But, since I’m on brickyard duty with you now, I think we can put our brains together and get out of here in a few days!”    


“I wouldn’t get too ahead of yourself." He hummed, crossing his arms. "I’d say there’s one major hurdle still ahead of you.”   


“Huh? What?”    


Ryoma pointed at Kaito’s legs.  “You’re still stuck.”   


Kaito blinked for a moment before letting out a snort.  “You’ve got me there. Since you’re still holding on to me, you mind giving me an extra hand?”   


Ryoma looked him up and down with a small smirk.    


“I could. Or I could get back to work. I have a quota of bricks to make, you know.”   


“What?” Kaito blinked, mouth agape. “You’re just gonna leave me here? That’s cold hearted, dude!”   


“I guess that wouldn’t make me a very noble ‘hero’ if I did that, huh?” Ryoma chuckled before grabbing onto his other hand. “On three, ok? One...two...three--”    


With his patented Dwarven warrior strength, Ryoma was able to pluck Kaito out of the ground with ease. Catching him from falling forward after the fact was a different story. Before he had time to react, Kaito tumbled on top of him, sending both of them into the mud with a plop. Ryoma opened his eyes to find the spellcaster’s lavender pupils unexpectedly close to his own.   


“W-whoa-” Kaito quickly sat himself up, cheeks slightly flushed. “Sorry about that. You alright, Ryoma?” He put out a clay coated hand to help him back up to his feet.    


“I’m fine.” He cleared his throat, trying to mask his own tinted cheeks. “...and I’m sorry for saying you were stupid before. That was out of line.”

“Don't worry about it." He grinned. "We’re still partners, right?”   


Ryoma nodded with a soft smile of his own.    


“Partners.”   



	5. Chapter 5

Despite Kaito’s optimism about formulating an escape in a few days, a little more than a month had passed since that day. While they had been able to map out the pattern of the guardsmen’s patrols rather easily, the actual tools to help them reach the outside still eluded them. They couldn’t access the tools of the lumberyard, nor would the guards permit them to use any type of shovel in the clay pits. Even if they could, the towering fort walls were several yards thick and anchored over fifteen feet into the earth. Any type of digging would take eons, and doing it quietly and covertly would be nearly impossible. On top of that, the duo were locked inside their cell each night with impenetrable walls around them and a reinforced floor below them. 

As more days passed, Kaito could tell that Ryoma’s hopes for escape and hopes in general were steadily fading.    


Even their conversations in the brickyard started to wane. Instead of talking about astronomy or tales from Ryoma’s days in the Underground fighting circuit, most days Kaito would wordlessly dig up and knead chunks of clay with his bare hands while Ryoma quietly pressed and demolded them.   


“Listen...I know we’ve talked about it before, but if I can try and use my magic to--”   


“No.” Ryoma’s tone was firm. “It’s too dangerous. Those bracelets are made to incapacitate you and broadcast to everyone around that you’re using magic. Even if I did that massaging trick to help ease the pain, we’d both still be in too vulnerable of a position. Fort Halberd was specifically designed the way it is to keep people like us from escaping.”   


“This place is nothing compared to the vastness of the universe! I don’t like the idea of getting hurt either, but sometimes you gotta be a little reckless to make your dreams--” There was a faint metallic sound as Kaito flung the blob of mud in his hand onto the ground. 

He quickly looked over his shoulder to see if the lone guardsmen was paying them any attention, only to find him more preoccupied with sharpening his shortsword with a chunk of whetstone. Seeing his opening, the former Royal Astronomer began to claw away at the discarded chunk of dirt before suddenly stopping, eyes widening.   


“Ryoma….” Kaito muttered. “Was this courtyard always for brickmaking?”   


“I don’t think so. I think they might have tried to plant crops here a few years ago...but now all the food we eat is brought in from the outside. Why?”    


Kaito subtly moved his hand, revealing what he had unearthed. It was a small, slightly curved bit of pointed metal, about three inches long.    


Ryoma’s chest tightened as he realized what it was.    


“...it’s part of a metal plow. Dwarven crafted. You can tell by the hammering pattern. I’ve seen enough of those back home to last me a lifetime.”    


“Do you think it could help us?”    


“It’s not exactly our ticket out of here...but it’s better than not having it at all.” He gave one last look over to the guardsman. “You should hide it for now. Bury it some place for later.”    


Kaito furrowed his brow a little. “But we can hide it in our cell-”   


“Hey!” The guardsman barked. “The fuck are you two slacking off for? Get back to work!”   
  


Kaito could feel his limbs ache as he hobbled back to his cell with Ryoma. Thanks to their ‘slacking’, they were ordered to churn out one hundred and fifty more bricks in quick succession or else they wouldn’t be back in time to get any dinner for the night. But despite the soreness, Kaito felt energized, not only by their discovery, but by the soft light of hope in his sidekick's eyes again. 

He clawed up to his bed with a heavy sigh before flopping on his side.    


“You alright down there, partner? I feel like my grandpa after a full day on the fishing docks...”   


Ryoma rolled his shoulders to help combat the stiffness, smiling a little.   


“I'll be fine, don't worry. And is this the same grandpa who you said made you dance with every single wallflower back home?”   


“Yeah. That’s the one. I did that every festival without fail, even though I'm not much of a dancer." He chuckled, before quietly rolling flat onto his back. "He’s actually a Sorcerer, too. He and grandma taught me almost everything I know.” . He could feel his heart begin to ache at the thought of them, but tried to keep his bright tone going.  “Before I got hired by King Christopher to be the Royal Astronomer, I was actually one of those traveling adventurer types.” Kaito rested his head behind his hands. “Doing odd jobs, exploring the vastness of the world, helping all sorts of people...even when times weren’t super great, I always made sure to send enough money home to help support them. The Astronomer job just kind of fell in my lap, honestly.” 

Ryoma lowered himself into his own bunk, listening quietly.    


“You miss them...not just your family, but the life you used to have out there.”   


“A little, yeah.” He was thankful that Ryoma couldn’t see his face in that moment, or else he would have seen a small rim of tears welling up. He quickly wiped them away regardless. 

“But...after today, I know I’m one step closer to getting to see them and the rest of the world again!” He rolled over and peeked over the edge of the bed, grinning upside down at Ryoma. “Plus, once we’re back out there we can be like an adventuring team together! You and me, questing across the land for justice--”   


The prison cell door screeched open.    


“I’m happy to say I’m here to rain on your parade, boys…” A sneering voice quipped. A lanky, middle aged man in gaudy nobleman attire entered the cell, lazily cleaning under his fingernails with his dagger.    


“Reaver…” Kaito sat back up, frowning deeply. “I thought you got all your titles stripped once King Christopher caught you embezzling from the charity vault. I was even there when they sent you away.”   


The older man smirked. “Bogdan is a good colleague of mine. He saw my worth as a...financial opportunist. Now I’m a diplomat. Which reminds me...” He pulled out a small roll of parchment affixed with a royal seal. “The king has decreed that Fort Halberd has reached occupancy.” He flashed a greasy, tobacco stained smile.    


“You two are coming back with me to the capitol to face your execution.”   



	6. Chapter 6

Reaver wasted little time parading his two new ‘guests’ out of Fort Halberd, humming a tune as he cuffed their wrists and chained them together. “Now then…” He attached the end of the chain to the saddle of his awaiting horse. 

“I don’t care how sore or tired you may be. You may either walk to the capitol, or be dragged there. Your choice.”   
He mounted his horse and gave a quick snap of the reins, beginning their long, single file walk in the growing darkness. 

As Fort Halberd shrank in the distance behind them, the pair’s stomachs growled and grumbled audibly. 

Reaver glanced over his shoulder with a snort. “Hungry, are we? Was that you, Momota?” He turned and glanced down at Ryoma. “Or was it the short one?”   
Ryoma kept his head bowed, silent.    
“Well, I’m sure if he gets famished, he can simply help himself to some dirt from the road. That’s what you Dwarves feast on the most, right?” 

“Lay off, Reaver!” Kaito snapped, hands instinctively curled to cast a spell. “He’s four times the man  _ you’ll _ ever be.”   


“How cute. You’re fond of him, aren’t you?” He snickered, opening his arms out. “Well, go on. Use your little parlor tricks to strike me down with a flame shot or lightning bolt. The second the sun rises and I’m not back in the city, my mercenaries will be more than happy to smoke you out and send your detached head back to that little backwater shithole you call home.”    


Kaito could feel his muscles tense tightly, both with anger and arcane energy just begging to be unleashed.    


“Momota…” Ryoma’s low and smooth voice drew his attention away from his aggressor. “Don’t. He wants you to turn into something you’re not.”   


Kaito clenched his jaw in silence, slowly letting his breath carry him back to a state of calm.    


_ He’s right...it’s not worth it. _   


He lowered his hands.   


Reaver simply snorted before turning back to face the road. A few minutes of silence passed before Kaito lightly nudged Ryoma’s shoulder to grab his attention.    


“Hey...why don’t you tell me more stories from the Coliseum? We have enough time for it.”   


Ryoma looked up at him with slight confusion.    


“You sure? That’s how you want to spend your last few hours?”    


“Of course!” Kaito beamed, walking up beside him to playfully bump his leg against him.   


Ryoma immediately felt something hard and solid make contact once he did so. It was a bit hard to tell while they were walking, but Kaito definitely had something smuggled in the rolled up cuffs of his pant legs. Ryoma’s eyes widened as he realized what it was.   


The metal shard from the clay pits.    


“And don’t leave out any details, ok? I wanna hear everything.” Kaito gave him a wink before returning behind him in the chain gang.   


Ryoma nodded in understanding before clearing his throat. 

“Well...the time I took down a Manticore is one of my favorites. It all started when I woke up that morning in the Champion’s quarters. I had some bread to eat. Hold on. I’m getting ahead of myself here. I got out of bed first. Then I got dressed. Then, I went downstairs to the larder. I saw we were out of bread, so I had to put my shoes on so I could go to the square and...”    


Now that he had some sound cover, Kaito was able to carefully retrieve the bit of metal from the rolled up cuff of his pants and begin to hack away at his hand cuffs. Just from the first few saws, he could tell this would be a long haul effort.    


_ At least Ryoma has that awesome, deep voice...I could already listen to that for hours... _

Reaver, however, did not seem to be as big a fan of Ryoma’s storytelling. As they walked alone in the center the dirt road, his posture began hunching lower and lower with boredom and irritation as the moon rose higher and higher in the night sky. 

“...so then the accountant sat me down and said ‘Champion Hoshi, we need to get your taxes done’. So I sat down and--”   


“Enough!” Reaver barked, pulling on the reins to stop his horse. Kaito quickly returned the metal shard to his hiding place right as their captor dismounted and pulled his dagger from its sheath. The blade flashed under the moonlight as he roughly snatched Ryoma up by the collar.    


“Still. Your. Tongue.” He hissed. “Or else, I’ll cut it out, you halfbred, little--”    


The sight of glimmer of light on the side of the road behind Ryoma’s head silenced him.   


“Well, now...what have we here?” A greedy smile crossed his face before dropping him to the ground and striding over to investigate. Kaito quickly helped Ryoma back to his feet, silently showing off the progress on his handcuffs with a proud smile.    


“Just a little more…” He whispered. “Then, I’ll knock him out and we’ll ride off together.”    


“I knew it!” Reaver let out a slightly giddy bit of laughter as he returned with his glimmering discovery. It was a woman’s hair comb, with vines of ivy carved into the handle.   


“You. Saltlicker. Tell me if this is genuine silver.” He dropped it into Ryoma’s hands.   


He turned it over, inspecting it carefully.    


“I’d say it is. Looks like the kind noblewomen get for wedding presents.”    


Reaver snorted before snatching it back and putting it in his breast pocket.    


“Probably dropped by some trollop sneaking off to see her beau in the woods.” He climbed back onto his horse and snapped the reins again.    
“Either way, it ought to sell for a handsome price in the city.” He sighed happily. “Such a booming place now. All sorts of new bordellos, casinos, burlesque clubs, taverns…”    


Suddenly, Reaver’s horse stopped.    


Ryoma and Kaito both peaked around in order to see what the hold up was.    


Standing in the middle of the road was a tall, almost skeletal looking woman in tattered commoner’s clothes. Her long, knotted hair was a ghostly white, concealing her face as she kept her head bowed.    


Kaito felt his anxiety and fear grow exponentially the more he looked at her.    


“Kaito.” Ryoma whispered. “When I tell you, cover your ears and don’t move them until you see me do it first.”   


“Wait, why? It’s...just a lady, r-right?” He stammered. “Please tell me it’s just a creepy looking lady. I’m not the type to judge appearances but...”   


“You! Peasant!” Reaver barked, narrowing his eyes at the unsettling stranger. “You’re blocking the way of official Novoselic business! Move aside. No one needs to see your filthy rags and sagging--” 

“Thieves…” The woman growled in a dry, gravelly voice.    


“What?”    


The woman slowly approached, pointing at each of them accusingly with long, pointed fingernails.    


“Where...is it? I can still follow the scent...it was in your hands wasn’t it?”   


Reaver swallowed, drawing his dagger. The woman only drew closer.    


“Give it back…” She raised her head, hair falling away to reveal her withered, corpse like face.  “Giveitbackgiveitbackgiveitbackgive--!”    


“Kaito! Cover your ears!” Ryoma commanded. Right as Kaito did, the woman clenched her fists and let out an unearthly wail. Even with his hand muting the brunt of it, Kaito felt as if his head would split open from the sheer intensity, his eardrums pulsating painfully. Reaver’s horse reared back on his hind legs, tossing his master off to the ground before sprinting away down the road, snapping the leather fastening that kept the length of chain leashed to the saddle. The woman ceased her screeching, bowing her head once more for a moment to regain some of her energy.    


Reaver remained on the ground. Lifeless.

Without sparing a single moment, Ryoma uncovered his ears and made a dive for the deadman’s fallen dagger, leaping into a defensive stance.    


“She’s a Banshee, don’t let her touch you!” Ryoma held the blade in front of him. “Free yourself. I’ll keep her busy.”   


Kaito nodded as he fumbled for the metal shard with quivering hands. The Banshee, strangely, remained still, staring at Ryoma blankly.    


“You…you held it too, didn’t you? I can smell it on your hands.” She took a step closer.    


Ryoma lunged in with a strike, trying to keep her at a distance. The Banshee, however, did not retreat, allowing the dagger to lodge itself in her torso.    


“Unhand it...I know you have it!” She lashed out and grabbed onto Ryoma’s wrists, yanking him up and dangling him in the air. 

Kaito watched in horror as the cuffs around his partner’s wrists suddenly rusted away into dust. The Dwarven warrior cried out in agony as the corrupting energy from the monster snaked up his arms, up to his neck and face, turning his very veins an inky web of pure black.   


Time seemed to slow for a moment, as Kaito used the surge of adrenaline to snap his wrists free from his chains and hurl a searing bolt of fire right at the Banshee’s face. She howled horribly, dropping her captive to the ground as she buried her singed face in her arms. The inhibitor bracelet sparked wildly again, bringing Kaito to his knees. He refused to let it stop him, clawing his way over to Reaver’s body and snatching the silver comb from his pocket.    


“You...wanted this, right? Take it!” Fighting against the pain still coursing through him, Kaito hurled the monster’s token as far as he could before collapsing again.    


The Banshee lowered her arms, stumbling over to her precious treasure before picking it up with gentle hands.   


“At last...you’re mine again. All mine...” She held it to her chest before walking into the woods that lined the road, vanishing.    


Kaito felt the sting of tears welling up as he looked helplessly at Ryoma’s unmoving form from the ground.    


“Ryoma…? Can you hear me?”   


Silence.   


“H..hey...come on. I can’t lose you yet. You’re my sidekick. We still have lots to do together, remember?”   


_ Please...please don’t go... _   


Kaito laid there in the darkness beside him, the full five minutes of recovery time passing in what seemed like an eternity. Once he was finally able to move again, he clawed his way over and lifted Ryoma’s body into his arms. The air ripped itself from his lungs once he felt how cold he was. He pressed his ear against his chest, desperate for any signs of life.   


There was the sound of the softest, slowest heartbeat. 

Kaito felt another surge of adrenaline rush through him, clutching Ryoma to his chest as he stood up and sprinted down the road.    


“Don’t worry...I’m going to find someone to help…”   


The only time he stopped was at the crossroads, making sure to take the path in the opposite direction of the capitol.    


“Just stay with me...I’ll protect you. I promise.”    


Kaito continued to run through the night, using the stars to help guide him.


	7. Chapter 7

Kaito didn’t know how long he had been running. If his muscles and lungs were burning with exhaustion, he couldn’t feel it. All that mattered was reaching the nearest town and finding a healer to stop the corrupting energy from killing Ryoma. As he crested another hill, he was immediately awash with relief at the specks of lantern lights in the near distance. He squeezed the precious cargo in his arms tighter to his chest as his feet carried him into town.   


_ There has to be some kind of temple around here… _   


He finally stopped in front of a small wooden chapel. The holy symbol on the doors denoting the deity it belonged to was one Kaito didn’t recognize.    


_ Still gonna take my chances… _ _   
_

He rang the bell before pounding on the door.    


“Hello? Is there anyone there?”    


There was the sound of footsteps from within before the door creaked open. Standing there in bright yellow robes was a young woman with bright eyes and snow white hair. She looked Kaito up and down before peering at the unconscious Dwarf in his arms.    


“Ah~!” She beamed. “Have you come to seek the blessings of Auta?”   


“Auta…?” Kaito blinked before shaking his head. “Sure, just...can you help?”    


“Of course, of course! All are welcome under His light~!” The Cleric chirped before ushering them both inside. “Place him on the altar, please.”   


Kaito gently placed him down, his heart aching at how pale and withered he looked. The holy woman looked Ryoma over, humming.    


“Hmmm...he’s wasting away. Necrotic damage causes great pain and suffering, not only to the body, but the soul as well...” She hummed again thoughtfully before reaching into her robe and pulling out an ornate dagger.    


“Buuuut Angie will not turn down such a generous donation--!”   


Kaito just about flung himself over the altar to grab onto her wrist.   


“What the fuck are you doing?! I brought him here to be healed!”   


“Healed?” She tilted her head, confused.    


“Yeah.  _ Healed. _ Can you not do that?”    


“Oh, of course I can! I have been given many gifts by the grace of Auta~! Angie only thought you were here to donate him as a blood sacrifice!” She giggled, putting the blade away. She then bowed her head and began to mutter a swift incantation, moving her hand above Ryoma’s body in a star formation. Slowly, the corruption in his veins began to slowly fade away and his chest began to rise and fall more districtly as Angie finally ended her prayer. His eyes, however,  remained closed.    


Kaito frowned with worry.   


“Why isn’t he waking up? Is something still wrong?”   


“Oh, he’s fine! Auta is still all powerful, but your lover still needs time to rest and restore his energy...and his vital organs!”    


Kaito wheezed a bit. “Lover? H-hold on a second--!”   


“Angie?” A rather tired woman’s voice rose from the side of the altar. “Is someone there?”   


A taller woman with long, deep blue hair shuffled out among the pews in a nightgown, rubbing her eyes before putting on a small pair of glasses. She blinked a few times once her vision allowed her to see just how many people were assembled.    


“Oh...oh my. We normally don’t get many visitors out here. Not that I’m saying you’re not welcome here, of course! I’m Tsumugi Shirogane. I assume you’ve already met Angie, then.”   


“Yeah. She almost sacrificed my sidekick a few minutes ago.”    


“Sorry, sorry~!” Angie sang, bouncing over to Tsumugi’s side. The bespectacled woman paled a bit before bowing deeply.    


“I apologize as well! I hope that won’t discourage you from accepting any more of our help!”

“It’s alright, don’t worry about it.” Kaito sighed. “Honestly, we should keep moving.”   


Tsumugi fiddled with her hands a little. “I...don’t mean to judge you, especially not by your clothing...but are you two refugees? This country is a safe place to settle, and the people in this town are very kind.”    


“Wait, hold on. Country? This isn’t still part of Novoselic?”   


Her eyes widened. “Novoselic? Oh, goodness no. That’s miles and miles away. You’re in Wayhaven. It’s a village in the country of Fairfax. King Kirigiri rules here.”   


Kaito could feel his exhaustion finally catch up to him, knees buckling a bit as he lowered himself into one of the pews.    


Tsumugi sat down beside him with a sympathetic expression, glancing briefly at his inhibitor bracelets. 

“We’ve heard stories of how cruel and corrupt your new ruler is. And you don’t seem like some kind of cruel and unstable criminal to warrant being shackled like that. I strongly suggest you stay here, at least until your…” She turned to Angie. “Is it his lover, darling?”   


She nodded sagely. “Auta whispered so in my very ears.”   


“At least until your lover is healed, then.”   


Kaito could feel his cheeks burn brightly.  “Y-you’ve got the wrong idea! Ryoma is my sidekick!”    


Tsumugi gasped. “Ryoma…? Do you mean like Ryoma Hoshi? The Champion of the Dwarven Coliseum?! That Ryoma Hoshi?”    


“You know him?”   


“Personally? Oh, no.” She blushed. “I’m a tailor by trade. The Underground has some of the most amazing crafters in the world. I got a chance to see a tournament while I was visiting on business. The way he smashed through waves of slimes and zombies with a hammer was like poetry in motion. I even paid extra to be in the splash zone!” She let out a nostalgic sigh. “I was so sad when I heard he quit...do you know why he did?”   


“No, I don’t. Sorry.” Kaito shook his head, glancing over at Ryoma as he quietly rested. “We talked a lot about his fights back in Fort Halberd. But there are some things I can tell are still a sore subject for him, that included.”   


Tsumugi nodded in understanding before rising back to her feet.   


“You’re welcome to sleep here for the night. Angie and I will find a slightly more permanent place for the two of you to stay in the morning.” She paused. “Oh...I don’t think I caught your name.”    


“It’s Kaito Momota. I used to be the Royal Astronomer in Novoselic.”    


“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Momota-kun. Please, get some rest. You’ve earned it.”   


He nodded with a soft smile, eyelids drooping.    


“I will. And thanks. Both of you.”   


After being given plenty of blankets and a mountain of soft pillows by Angie, Kaito finally felt his eyelids close, succumbing to a very deep sleep almost instantly.    
  


Angie and Tsumugi returned to their bedchamber, carefully closing the door behind them.    


“Did the sleep spell work?” Tsumugi asked quietly, making her way to the small mirror mounted on the wall.    


“Yep! By the power of Auta!” She flopped onto the bed, curling up under the covers.   


“It looked like he ran all the way here. I’ll bet he didn’t even notice.” Tsumugi smiled a little before getting serious. She lightly exhaled onto the looking glass before tracing a hidden symbol with her fingertip. She then wiped it clean and exhaled onto it again. 

Ghostly writing appeared on the glass, written by an unseen hand:    


‘ _ PASSWORD-?’ _ _   
_

“Raven’s Eye.” She whispered. The ghostly words vanished, giving her a clean slate to write. Tsumugi tried to make do with the limited space.   


‘ _ He’s here. Oracle was right. But he brought a friend.’ _ _   
_

She watched as the words faded. After a moment there was a reply.    


‘ _ KEEP THEM THERE. I ALREADY HAVE HIS FAMILY IN CUSTODY.’ _ _   
_

‘ _ Do you plan on coming to Wayhaven?’  _   


‘ _ IN 4 DAYS. NEED TO LAY LOW FOR NOW.’ _ _   
_

She sighed, shaking her head.    


‘ _ Take a vacation after this, please.’ _ _   
_

There was no reply. Tsumugi huffed as the mirror returned to it’s normal sheen, as the other end ‘hung up’.    


“How rude…even for an Assassin.”


	8. Chapter 8

Kaito awoke right before the sun crested over the horizon. The chapel was quiet, save for the chirps of a few stray birds and the distant clap of horse hooves from the street outside. The village of Wayhaven was just starting to stir awake. He struggled a bit to unearth himself from the cocoon of blankets and cushions Angie had buried him with that night. Making his way over to the altar, he couldn’t help but grin as he saw that the white haired Cleric had done the same to Ryoma. The smile faded quickly once he noticed he was trembling with chills. 

“Ryoma?” He quickly pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. 

_No fever, thankfully…but he still feels ice cold._ _  
_

Ryoma’s eyelids barely lifted, still floating somewhere between consciousness and sleep.

“Hey…” He murmured horsely, putting his quivering hand on top of his. “Don’t...move your hand. Please.”

“I’ll do better than just that.” He scooped him up in his arms, carrying him back to the pews. “Hang on, partner.” 

He carefully lowered himself back down, holding him close to his chest and tossing one of the heavier blankets over top them both. 

“There. Now you’ll get warm again in no time. Is this better?” 

Ryoma closed his eyes once more, nodding softly against Kaito’s chest. 

“You smell like incense, Cora...never got why you liked it so much. It always stuck to your armor, too...”

“Cora?” Kaito blinked. Then it dawned on him. 

_He must still be dreaming. Angie said the corruption hurts the soul, too..._ _  
_

“I’m sorry…” Ryoma whispered, burying his face against him. “I wasn’t strong enough. I couldn’t stop them. I’m a failure.” 

Kaito could feel his heart wrench as a small amount of hot tears began to stain his shirt. In all the time he'd known him he’d never seen his sidekick this emotionally vulnerable. He slowly wrapped his arms around him.

“Hey...hey..” Kaito began to softly rub his back. “You’re not a failure. You’re a little rough on the outside sometimes, but you’ve got a great heart.” He gave him a gentle squeeze. “You’ve been carrying around a lot of weight on your shoulders, huh? It’s alright...you can always lean on me if you need it. Just rest for right now, ok? I’ll be right here.”

With another silent nod, Ryoma slowly drifted off again into a deeper state of sleep. There was a far more peaceful expression on his face now, much to Kaito’s relief. He continued to softly rub between his shoulder blades, watching as the growing sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows.   
The pair laid there quietly for what felt like some time, until Ryoma slowly opened his eyes once again, groggily looking up toward the face of his human sleep cushion. 

“Morning, sidekick!” The purple haired spellcaster grinned, their noses just about touching.

Ryoma’s gaze met Kaito’s for a moment before squinting in confusion and just as quickly widening in realization. He swiftly sat himself up to try and distance their faces, but only succeeded in transforming the cuddle into an awkward straddle, causing both men to blush brightly.

“W-whoa there, take it easy. You’re still healing from that whole Banshee thing. You’re safe here, it’s fine.”

Ryoma rubbed his eyes before quickly glancing around the pews. 

“Where are we?” 

“Fairfax. Wayhaven, specifically. Wasn’t planned or anything, I just threw the Banshee’s comb, grabbed you, and ran.” 

“You ran? All the way here?” Ryoma’s eyes widened. 

“Well, duh. Your veins were literally turning all jet black and you were colder than a corpse. I don’t have healing magic so I ran until I found someone who did.”

“Kaito…” Ryoma rested his forehead in his hand. “Wayhaven is _twenty_ miles from that crossroads.” 

“Huh. Didn’t feel that far.” Kaito shrugged. 

“You shouldn’t have put yourself through all that.” He scolded. “You should have left my deadweight behind. What if something else attacked you on the road? I would’ve just slowed you down.”

Kaito frowned with a look of conviction. “Even if that _did_ happen, I’d find a way around it. I’d never just leave you behind like that. You’re my partner, and if I had to, I’d run twenty _more_ miles if it meant saving you!” 

There was a moment of silence before Ryoma closed his eyes and shook his head. It was the same look he gave when Kaito first saved him from execution back at the castle courtroom.

“You don’t get it…” His voice was quiet. “My life isn’t worth yours. If you knew my past, you wouldn’t be so eager to save me like that.” 

“I don’t care about your past. You were talking in your sleep and I could hear how pained and regretful you were. Truly evil people rarely regret their actions. I said it then and I’ll say it again: you’re not a failure. And I don’t think that Cora person would say you were either.” 

Ryoma visibly winced at that name, causing Kaito to feel some regret bringing it up. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just--”

“It’s fine...you ought to know anyways.” He closed his eyes and took in a small, deep breath.

“When I left the Underground for the surface, I ended up wandering to a farming village on the edge of the border of Novoselic. Cora was the Paladin of the temple there. It wasn’t long before she and I started courting. A prophet of the goddess she served had been buried there, so the land was considered a holy site and not allowed to fall under any single ruler. When Bogdan took the throne, he forged a charter saying that we belonged to Novoselic and began to seize all their crops. Cora tried to reason with them, but the men we faced weren’t reasonable soldiers like the ones under King Christopher. They were paid thugs itching to fight, no matter the reason.”

Ryoma curled his fists, trying to keep the anger from his voice.

“One day when I was on patrol by the village gates, I saw them. A fully outfitted gang of mercenaries with blades and torches.”

He paused for a moment, swallowing hard to fight back tears as the repressed memories began to filter back more vividly. 

“I rang the bell to try and warn the town and tried to hold them off, taking down as many as I could. But it wasn’t enough. I overestimated my abilities. Fighting mythical beasts and undead hordes was nothing like taking on a coordinated gang of armed humans with a thirst for pillaging and murder. I was useless. They overpowered me and burned everything to the ground. I was the last one alive they could arrest.”

Kaito listened quietly. He then slowly sat up and pulled him into a soft hug, resting his chin on the top of his head. 

“You did everything you could in that moment. You held your own and probably gave more people time to escape than you think. I know you told me all this to probably try and drive me away...but I think it did the opposite.” He chuckled softly. “Now I just wanna fight even harder for you. We made that promise back at Fort Halberd to take King Bogdan down together. And I’m not going to break that promise for anything.” 

Ryoma was quiet for a long while. So long in fact, that Kaito began to worry he unintentionally said something wrong. But then, Ryoma met his eyes and smiled. It was a bright, genuine, smile, one that caused his heart to beat just a little faster. 

“I guess it’d be pretty uncool of me to break a promise like that, huh? Especially after everything you’ve done for me.” 

“Hey, that’s what partners do!” Kaito beamed back, reaching out to ruffle his hair a little. Ryoma squirmed a bit, letting out a soft, bashful sound of gentle protest. It didn't do much to deter the taller spell caster from doing it a little more, smiling.

“Man...your hair is really soft. I bet if you grew one of those big, Dwarven beards, you’d look pretty sharp!” 

“They’re a lot of maintenance. Plus one less thing for an opponent to grab onto in close combat. Don’t spell casters usually have beards?” 

Kaito chuckled. “That’s the stereotype for Wizards, yeah. But all I can really grow is this little goatee.” 

“Is that so?” Ryoma placed his fingertips under Kaito’s chin, inspecting carefully with a soft hum.

The doors of the Cleric’s chambers creaked open. “Angie is still getting your new home ready, so I thought I’d--” Tsumugi froze a bit at the sight in front of her. 

Ryoma was still essentially straddling Kaito’s lap, looking intently at him with his fingers delicately under his chin. 

“Oh. Um..I...I didn’t mean to interrupt!” She squeaked, blushing brightly. “But I sewed some new clothes for you two! I’ll just be...outside. But, please take your time!” With that, she dropped the two baskets in her hands and scampered off. 

“Wait, Tsumugi!” Kaito called out, but it was too late. He sighed. “Damn. I was going to ask if she knew a way to get these inhibitor bracelets off.” 

Ryoma hopped down from his lap, looking over the new sets of clothes to finally replace their prison rags. They were commoner’s clothes, but were definitely sewn from sturdy material. He was thankful that this Tsumugi person seemed to take the time to craft a proper Dwarven sized outfit for him and not just opt for regular children’s clothes.

“You said we’re in the country of Fairfax, right?” 

Kaito nodded. Ryoma tossed the bigger set of clothes over to him.

“Get dressed. I think I might know a way to get those off...and get into contact with Princess Sonia.”


	9. Chapter 9

As soon as they were dressed in their new garments, Tsumugi gave the two young men a short tour of Wayhaven. It was a vibrant and diverse town, with humans, elves, and even a few half-giants all happily bustling about the main road. Despite the jolly chatter and hawking of wares, Ryoma couldn’t help but feel they were being watched as they rounded the corner and entered a small tavern. Tsumugi gave a small nod and held up three fingers to the barkeep before shepherding them to a table in the farthest most corner of the room.    
  
“I’m so sorry again for interrupting you two!” She blushed, adjusting her glasses. “Angie and I have been clearing up a small farm house for you to stay in, that way you’ll have plenty of privacy!”    
  
Ryoma furrowed his brow, slightly confused by her flustered tone. “While I appreciate the thought, we’ve got more troubles on our hands than just keeping a roof over our heads. One of Bogdan’s diplomats was escorting us to the capitol before he was killed by a Banshee. I can only imagine they found his horse and body already. They’ve probably already sent bounty hunters out for us for his ‘murder’. Kaito is still at a major disadvantage with those inhibitor bracelets on.”    
  
Kaito pouted a little. “Hey, I’m not  _ totally  _ useless with them on.”    


“Never said you were. But, until I can get enough money for a proper warhammer again, magic is one of the few aces up our sleeve. We need to get those off as soon as possible. Tsumugi, I noticed the larger forest on the other end of town. Do you know if any Druids are practicing magic out there?”   
  
“Druids?” She blinked. “Well...we do have one. He used to sell all kinds of wild berries and medicinal flowers, but he hasn’t stepped foot in town for at least a week.”   
  
“He’s our only chance for the time being. If no messages are getting to Princess Sonia, that must mean the postal guild is being watched by Bogdan’s allies. Druids can shape shift and commune with animals. On top of freeing Kaito, we might be able to hire him to get a message over to her without risking detection.”    
  
The motherly barkeep approached their table with a bowl of stew and potatoes for each of them before striding away. Tsumugi blinked as Kaito immediately scooped about three spoonfuls of his own potatoes into Ryoma’s bowl before the taller man paused.    
  
“Oh. We both got the same amount of food this time. That might take a little bit of getting used to.” He smiled with a small laugh.   
  
"Did they not properly feed you in prison?" Shirogane frowned.   
  
"Oh, they fed me plenty, but they only gave Ryoma half a bowlful everyday. That's why I always shared!"   
  
"But now I can actually get _you_ to eat fully like you should..."  Ryoma sighed with some subtle relief before he promptly returned the extra portion to his partner's bowl.   
  
"Awww...you that worried about me?" He grinned brightly before reaching over to lightly ruffle his hair. Ryoma blushed faintly, opting to shovel a spoonful of stew into his own mouth instead of answering. It wasn’t until the food touched his lips that he realized how hungry he truly was. Glancing over at Kaito, it seemed like he had realized the same thing.    
  
Tsumugi smiled fondly at the both of them, before something out the window caught her attention, eyes widening.    
  
“Both of you stop eating, right now.” She commanded before grabbing them both by the wrist and rushing over to the broom closet.    
  
“W-whoa, hold on a second!” Kaito protested. “What’s wrong?”    
  
“Bounty hunters.” With that, she flung the both of them inside and slammed the door shut. Katio tumbled right onto his backside, catching Ryoma right before he face planted by pulling him into an impromptu hug.    
  
“You alright, partner?” He whispered with a small hiss of pain, trying to sit himself upright amid the cramped quarters.   
Ryoma let out a small noise of acknowledgement, trying to listen in on the voices outside the door.    
  
“That’s a lotta food on your table, girlie. You expecting company?” A rather gruff, masculine voice sneered.   
  
“Hmm? Oh me?” He could hear Tsumugi laugh. “No, no, this is all for me!”   
  
“That’s funny.” Another, more sing-songy voice hummed. “You walked in with a bloke on each arm…” The wooden floor creaked and shifted as one of the pairs of footsteps wandered around the tables. “Tall lookin’ guy with spiked up hair, and the only dwarf for miles around…and now they ain’t here?”    
  
Ryoma could feel Kaito’s arms hold him a little tighter to his chest as the footsteps slowly drew closer and closer to their door.   
  
“Ooh? Those two?” Tsumugi chirped. “Now I know who you mean! They're horrible murderers, aren’t they?”    
  
“You could say that.” The gruff voice scoffed. “You tell us where they are, maybe some of that reward money can end up in your own pocket.”   
  
“How much?”    
  
“Five silver. Enough to comp those other two bowls of food on your table.” 

“Make it three silver!”   
  
There was a pause. Ryoma glanced over at Kaito who shared his look of confusion.   
  
"I'd say we're at least worth six silver...." The taller man whispered, his confusion shifting into a frown.  
  
The gruff man cleared this throat. “...alright? You, uh...sure do drive a hard bargain. Three it is.” There was a small jingle of a coin purse being dropped on the table.   
  
“It's a deal! Let’s shake on it, then! Both of you!” Tsumugi said with a clear smile in her voice.    
  
“Crazy bitch…” The voice right outside the broom closet door muttered before stomping away.    
  
“Kaito. We can’t stay here.” Ryoma whispered firmly.   
  
“Just wait.” He replied. “Just a little longer. I have a hunch about this.”   
  
Despite his vote of confidence Ryoma could feel Kaito’s heart beating faster against his own.   
  
“Thank you so much! You have a deal! Now I suppose I should do my part, hm?” The floor creaked as Tsumugi rose to her feet.    
  
“ _ Blessing of Auta to you both!  _ ”   
  
There was the sound of fingers snapping and two bodies hitting the floor. After a moment’s pause, the door of the broom closet creaked open.    
  
“Oh, Hoshi-kun!” Tsumugi smiled brightly. “You said you needed a new warhammer, right? I have one for you to try out!”    
  
The two men looked at one another for a moment before following her back into the dining main area. Laying in a heap in the middle of the floor was a bald, muscular man and an elven woman with intricate clan tattoos across her forearms. Both were totally motionless. Tsumugi hummed a happy tune as she ripped a rather expensive looking war hammer out of the holster on the man’s back before handing it to Ryoma.    
  
“There you go!” She grinned before next tossing a coin purse over to Kaito. “That ought to be enough for a new, custom hammer holster for Hoshi-kun, and to pay your Druid to remove the inhibitor bracelets.”    
  
There was another bout of silence as Kaito and Ryoma both stared at the bounty hunters in the middle of the floor. It took a moment before the bespectacled young woman realized what their concern was.    
  
“Oh! Don’t worry! They’re not dead, I promise! Angie taught me a stronger level sleeping spell. They’ll be out for at least an hour.”   
  
“Wait, hold on.” Kaito blinked. “You’re a magic user?”    
“  
Oh, of course. I’m a Bard.” She tilted her head slightly. “Didn’t I tell you that?”    
They both shook their heads.   
  
“Well, now you know! Don’t worry about these two, the barkeep and I can handle these two. The Druid you’re looking for lives in the Gallows Grove to the north. I should warn you, he can be a bit...ah...theatric in his speech patterns. Tanaka is his name.”   
  
“Got it.” Kaito grinned. “Thanks, Shirogane.”    
  
With that, the two men departed from the tavern for the main road out of town. All of their hopes now rested on what lay deep within the dark labyrinth of towering trees and decaying undergrowth.   
  
  



	10. Chapter 10

“You know, you seem awfully chipper for someone about to walk into a place called the Gallows Grove.” Ryoma smirked softly.   
  
Kaito rested his hands behind his head as the two of them began their hike into the woods. The expanse of towering trees was rather thick, allowing only a few spears of sunlight to reach below the canopy.    
  
“I mean...it’s a creepy name, but that doesn’t always mean much. I’m just glad to be out in the world and on a real quest again! Plus, I’ve got you by my side if things get dicey, right?” Kaito’s bright grin made Ryoma’s cheeks flush ever so slightly.    
  
“I’ll have your back, no problem. But keep in mind, it’s been months since I’ve last held a warhammer. I might be a little rusty.” He readjusted his hammer harness, frowning a bit at how silent the woods were. There were no birds chirping. Not a single squirrel or rabbit crossed their path.   
  
Kaito felt a small chill up his spine. Even with his inhibitor bracelets on, he could still sense a rather dark magical energy emanating from somewhere in the distance.   
_  
There’s something big out here...but I can’t pinpoint where... _   
  
He made it a point to glance behind them every so often, keeping a sharp look out for anything that might try and ambush them. The presence he sensed, however, did not move. Wherever it was, it seemed more than content to stay where it was.   
  
After almost an hour of walking, the trail opened to a small clearing. A woodcutter’s cottage, covered in vines and overgrowth sat in the center, the small bit of smoke rising from the chimney indicated that the fire within was only smoldering. The pair looked at one another before Kaito reached out and knocked on the door.    
  
“Tanaka? You home?”   
  
Silence.   
  
“We’re friends with Tsumugi. She said you haven’t been in town for a while. You alright?”   
  
“She is foolish to show any concern or compassion for a fallen creature such as I.” A rather deep voice responded from within before falling into a fit of coughing. There was another moment of silence before the door creaked open. The young man who stood before them was dressed in a simple Druid’s cloak, clutching an oak spellcasting staff with bandaged hands and forearms. His right eye was a brilliant ruby red while his left held a vertical scar...or perhaps a tattoo, it was difficult to tell. He looked Kaito and Ryoma up and down with suspicion.    
  
“A mortal of the surface and a Dwarven born from the caverns of the earth…I command you to reveal thy True Names.”   
  
The pair of adventurers glanced at one another for a moment before Ryoma decided to take the plunge.    
  
“Ryoma of the Hoshi clan. Former warrior of the Dwarven Colosseum.”   
  
Kaito posed with a bit of a flourish. “Kaito Momota! Sorcerer and Luminary of the Stars!”    
  
Tanaka looked between them once again before giving Ryoma a lightly scolding tap with his staff.    
  
“You should work a bit on your presence, Earthshaper. Perhaps your companion may offer guidance. But, you have shown courage. In return, I shall reveal my own, True Name. May you mortals burn it into your minds and hearts for all eternity!" He crossed his arm with a prideful smile.   
  
"I am Gundham Tanaka! Supreme Overlord of Ice! One of the few Chosen Guardians who can hear the whispers of Mother Gaia. State thy business for entering my sacred domain, or be offered up to the Four Dark Devas of destruction as a--!” He fell into another fit of harsh coughing, quickly burying his face in his sleeve.    
  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa...we came to you for help, but it looks like you need it more.” Kaito frowned with concern. “What’s wrong?”    
  
Gundham allowed himself a short moment to regain his breath before speaking.   
  
“Do you mortals know why this place is called Gallows Grove?”   
  
They both shook their heads.    
  
“Nearly a century ago...these woods held a temple to a god of justice. Trials and executions would be held there, and the criminals would be buried in the courtyard behind it. It was believed that the maze of trees would prevent any angry spirits from escaping and haunting the townsfolk. When I arrived several years ago, I was able to purify the grounds. But it would seem a new, much stronger darkness has taken root there. Some kind of Necromancer or other vile spellcaster has overtaken the temple, corrupting the very land around them.”   
  
He coughed again with a look of sorrow in his eyes.. “It has caused the beasts of this land to flee...and I have been using all the power I have left to keep the plague of decay from spreading. At the cost of my own health.”    
  
Kaito could feel a rush of determination overtake him, hands curling into fists.   
  
“Let us help. If you can get these inhibitor bracelets off of me, I swear Ryoma and I will kick this guy into the next century!”   
  
The stoic Druid met the intensity of Kaito’s eyes before nodding silently.   
  
“You claimed to have come to me for help a moment ago. If you prove your purity of heart in banishing the evil from within the temple, you have my word to assist you in whatever way possible. But for now...allow me to summon my familiars and free thee from your binds. This way.”   
  
Gundham shepherded the pair behind the cottage where a large ritual circle was carved into the dirt.    
  
“Stand in the center, Sorcerer. Place your palms against the earth, but be warned. Any sudden movement during the ritual may result in your demise.”    
  
“Oh. Cool. Great.” Kaito’s smile was now laced with nervousness as he entered the circle and kneeled onto the ground.   
  
Ryoma watched on as Gundham tossed what appeared to be a handful of pumpkin seed into the ritual circle as well before he held his staff aloft above his head and shouted into the sky.    
  
“DEVAS OF DESTRUCTION! I CALL UPON THEE TO RETURN TO MY SIDE TO FEAST UPON THE OFFERING BEFORE ME!”    
  
“Offering?” Ryoma glared, hand immediately gripping onto the handle of his warhammer.  “If this was all a trick just to sacrifice him--”   
  
“Silence, fool! You’ll chase them away!”   
  
The tall grass surrounding the clearing began to rustle. Kaito froze, his forearms trembling.    
  
Four small hamsters scampered out from the brush and rushed directly into the center of the circle. Each of them then collected several pumpkin seeds into their plump cheeks before scurrying up Gundham’s cloak and perching on his shoulders.    
  
Before Ryoma could utter out a single word of confusion, the clam Druid tapped one of the runes carved into the ground with his staff, causing the whole intricate circle to glow with a brilliant, blinding light….as did the eyes of each of the hamsters on his shoulders.    
  
After a moment, the light slowly subsided. Kaito blinked a few times, a bit disoriented as he looked down at his wrists. The inhibitor bracelets were still on.    
  
“Uh...I don’t think the spell worked, buddy.”   
  
“Nonsense!” Gundham huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Rise to your feet mortal. Hold out your wrists.”

Kaito did as instructed.   
  
“See? I’ve still got them-- _whoa!_ ”   
  
The young Sorcerer let out a small yelp as Gundham promptly whacked the inhibitor bracelets with the broadside of his staff, causing them to shatter and fall to the ground in jagged shards.   
  
“There. You are freed.” He grinned proudly, despite his growing exhaustion.   
  
Kaito looked down at the heap of metal at his feet before glancing back to his open palms. He slowly rolled his wrists with a satisfying crack, feeling the magical energy that had been locked away from him for so long finally flow fully back into his fingertips.   
  
“I...I’m back.” He breathed, still in a state of disbelief before it quickly grew into unadulterated joy. “Ryoma! I’m back! I can cast spells again!”  
  
He quickly scooped the shorter man into a crushing hug, spinning him around before just as quickly setting him back down, oblivious to the bright red tint quickly flushing the shorter man's cheeks. Kaito sprinted a few yards away before whipping back around with the grin of an excited child.   
  
“Hey! Ryoma! Watch this! Hey, are you looking? You ready for this, partner? Ok, here it goes!”  
  
With a flourish of his hands, two burning spheres of fire began to levitate above his palms.  
  
“And that’s not all, l can even bend them into cool shapes! Like, name an animal, any animal.”   
  
“How about...a cat?”   
  
Kaito paused, slightly embarrassed.   
  
“Ok, not gonna lie, I was mostly expecting something like..a dragon.” He felt his heart drop a bit at Ryoma’s slight look of disappointment. “B-but, I promise I’ll learn how to bend fire into a cat shape! Let me just show you one I know I’m good at for right now, ok?”   
  
Ryoma watched in quiet awe as Kaito effortlessly fused the two fire orbs into one single sphere, shaping it into an egg-like oval with only a slight wave of his fingertips.  
  
“This is one I used to do all the time for the kids back in my home village!”   
  
With that he tossed the ‘egg’ high into the air and clapped his hands together. The moment his hands joined together, the mass of flames suddenly burst into a shower of sparks before reconstituting and morphing into the fiery silhouette of a brilliant Phoenix. Moving his arms in a fluid figure eight pattern, Kaito made the glowing shape soar through the air above them before diving down and darting and weaving between the wide eyed Ryoma and Gundham. The silhouette made its final ascent into the air before vanishing into a plume of smoke.   
  
Kaito beamed with pride shifting his stance to cast another spell.  
  
“Now watch what I can do with ice and lightning at the same time--!”  
  
“Hold on.” Ryoma put a hand on his forearm. “I get the excitement, but you should save your energy for an actual fight.”   
  
“The Earthshaper is correct.” Gundham nodded. “The talismans I placed around the temple grounds to contain the fiend grow weaker with each passing hour as they drain more energy from me. My four Devas shall escort you halfway.”  
  
“Those hamsters...they aren’t just run of the mill hamsters, are they?” Ryoma questioned with a perked brow.  
  
“Fuhaha...I see those wide eyes of yours have the ability to see beyond mere illusions…”   
  
“Not really. Just wondering why their eyes glowed.”  
  
“That is because they are the reincarnated souls of four of the firecest, most unholy, bloodthirsty warriors and spellcasters this side of the ethereal plane! I met them in the wilds and made an offering of the flesh of a Jack ‘O Lantern to summon them. They have been at my side as my loyal familiars ever since.”   
  
“I don’t think that explains the creepy eye thing, though...” Kaito added.   
  
Gundham only smirked. “There are mysteries in this world…that are best left untouched.”   
  
With that, the kind hearted Druid gently scooped each hamster into his hands, giving them each a small pet before placing them down on the ground.   
“May Mother Gaia watch over you and bless you with longevity.” He crossed his arms with a gravely serious expression.   
  
“The darkness that lies ahead will not hesitate to rob it from you. ” 


End file.
